Peter Kreeft.

Ignatius Press. 1989. 

Picture for a moment the conventional image of heaven. A soft focus land of fluffy clouds, choral music and flocks of cherubs sporting nappies. Not exactly an inspiring recruiting poster for the communion of the saints. Our depictions of hell are far more vivid and creative. Most tragic of all they are often more appealing - at least those trident wielding demons look like they are having fun.  Does this say a lot about our culture? Probably. We have a seemingly insatiable appetite for the ugly, the mutilated and the horrific. To us goodness and beauty can often seem insipid and unreal.

 

Peter Kreeft's "Heaven: The Heart's Deepest Longing" is a welcome antidote to our jaded and disturbing images of the afterlife. With typical panache he sweeps away the clouds, silences the choir and sends the cherubs packing. Instead he goes back to basics, asking the question: just what are the deepest hungers of the human heart? What ensues is a dazzling journey of exploration in the realms of philosophy, theology, art and psychology, keeping in view at all times the reality of everyday experience. The vision of heaven that emerges is a one of life and joy, complex, thrilling and endlessly fascinating.

Kreeft has an infectious enthusiasm for his subject. There is a deeply original mind at work (and play) here. His breadth and depth of knowledge is stunning and each chapter is a treasure trove of insights, facts and diverse sources. Opening this book at a random point I am greeted by references to Plato, "The Chronicles of Narnia", the Book of Genesis, St. Augustine, Blaise Pascal, G.K.Chesterton, and even E.T. - all in the space of a single page. For all its delight in diversity "Heaven: The Heart's Deepest Longing" never looses sight of its subject matter. Kreeft's formidable intellect steers a steady course through the back-alleys of allusion and argument without ever seeming at risk of getting lost.

"Heaven: The Heart's Deepest Longing" is, in essence, an adventure story. Kreeft journey's through some of the most fascinating and fearsome territory known to man, encountering some the great figures of Western thought, battling the demons of fear and indifference, to face humanity's most significant preoccupation: death and what lies beyond.